The sport has taken steps to remedy the problem, but chemists are always one step ahead, when they?re not two or three steps ahead?
Boxing has a problem. The problem is not fighters fighting at catchweights, as problematic as that might be. It?s that a large percentage of fighters appear to be juicing.
The sport has taken steps to remedy the problem, but chemists are always one step ahead, when they?re not two or three steps ahead.
The latest casualty, or latest scofflaw, of the use of performance enhancing drugs is the ?Russian Vityaz,? otherwise known as Alexander Povetkin.
The May 21 fight at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow, Russia, between former WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs), from Chekhov, Russia, and WBC World heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs), the undefeated Bronze Bomber from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is on the ropes.
That is a pity. What it is not is surprising.
Povetkin and Wilder both agreed to the stipulations of the WBC Clean Boxing Program, where they would be tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) in advance of the big fight. Unfortunately Povetkin, according to VADA, failed the drug test that was administered on April 27. His ?A? sample revealed traces of meldonium, a substance that was banned on January 1 of this year.
According to TASS, a Russian news agency, Povetkin last used the formula in September 2015.
VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman informed both camps and the WBC of the positive test.
?This letter is to advise you that the ?A? sample urine specimen number 3969608 collected from Alexander Povetkin on April 27, 2016 in Chekhov, Russia through his participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, stimulants and drugs of abuse,? she wrote. ?The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains meldonium.
?Mr. Povetkin has the right to promptly request analysis of the ?B? sample at his expense. Please be aware that VADA does not adjudicate results nor determine whether sanctions are appropriate. As with all results, adverse findings are reported to the relevant commission(s) who may make such determinations.?
Meldonium is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a metabolic modulator and was the drug of choice for tennis star Maria Sharapova, who was suspended after meldonium was found in her system.
The WBC is investigating the matter and is due to make a statement.
Povetkin?s promoter, Andrei Ryabinsky of Mir Boksa, told TASS, ?Traces of extremely low concentration of Meldonium have been found in his blood. He consumed it in September last year. He has not taken it since January 1. The situation is ambiguous. The blood sample was taken in April this year. We have been in contact with the World Boxing Council, which is to decide if Povetkin?s boxing bout against Deontay Wilder will take place or not.?
That?s the bad news. The good news, such as it is, is that ?the meldonium content in Sasha Povtekin?s blood was 70 nanograms,? Ryabinsky tweeted, adding without substantiation, ?It seems that politics have intervened in boxing.?
The fight has been much anticipated. Wilder is one of the most protected heavyweight champions in history, if not the most protected heavyweight champion in history, and Povetkin, at least on paper, posed a real threat.
That threat, however, appears to be fading fast.
Meldonium belongs to the S4 class of banned substances on the WADA blacklist, which includes hormones as well as metabolic modulators.
WADA announced on April 13 that the concentration of less than one microgram of Meldonium in an athlete?s body was acceptable, which suggests that more than one microgram was found swimming in Povetkin?s bloodstream.
Melondium is available throughout Russia without a doctor?s prescription. TASS reports that almost 300 athletes have tested positive for meldonium and at least 31 Russian athletes are suspected of using the prohibited formula.
Lou DiBella, Wilder?s promoter of record, said, ?It?s extremely upsetting and disappointing and while I am angry, I am certainly not shocked. We?ll make a more detailed statement and figure things out when we discuss this among ourselves and with the WBC. We haven?t had enough time to digest this. We?ll have more to say later.?
To be shocked is an admission of na?vet?. DiBella is many things, but na?ve isn?t among them.
